The Guiding Light : A Selection of Quotations from My Favourite Books (Paperback)

" Information of Flap: An inspirational selection of quotations which have influenced and shaped the thinking of one of India's most learned men–A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
From his schooldays to this day, when he is over eight decades old, Dr Kalam has been a lover of the written word. In The Guiding Light, he chooses the finest examples of writings from the numerous books, religious texts, philosophical tracts and poetry that he has read over the years. These words have impacted and shaped his thinking, helped him in times of need and made him the person he is. He has quoted from these works in his writings and lectures, that have inspired millions of people he has met all over the world.
Included here are extracts from the works of writers as diverse as Rabindranath Tagore, Albert Einstein, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jiddu Krishnamurti, William Shakespeare, John Milton and Mahatma Gandhi; as well as lines from the Holy Koran, Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Thirukural and a myriad other works.
Eclectic, erudite and thought-provoking, The Guiding Light is a treasure house of wisdom and deep reflection. Beautiful and immortal, the pieces here will inspire generations of readers as they have inspired Dr Kalam.
Contents: Introduction vii
On Reading xiii
Faith 1
Belief 15
Difficulties 41
Odds and Ends 71
Tributes 95
Some Thoughts 119
Radiance 143
The Might of Time 157
Acknowledgements 170
The Last Word: Born on 15 October 1931, at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Dr Kalam is one of the most distinguished scientists of India and has been awarded the Padma Bhushan (1981), the Padma Vibhushan (1990) and India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna (1997).
Dr Kalam became the eleventh President of India on 25 July 2002. His focus and greatest ambition remains finding ways that will transform India into a developed nation.